THE PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE is spoken all over the world by approximately 191 million people. Various estimates place it as the 6th-8th most widely spoken language in the world. It is widely spoken in Portugal, Brazil, Macau, Goa, Angola, Venezuela, and Mozambique. It is the second most-spoken Latin language in the world. In the US there are more than 500,000 Portuguese native speakers.

Portuguese a soft and melodic language suitable for the samba, labamba, and great poetry.

Portuguese is a Latin language that abandoned its declensions and became an analytical language, as many other Latin languages did. It is very similar to Spanish in its vocabulary, grammar and orthography. Generally, the main characteristics of Portuguese language include the retention of Latin grammar forms that are already lost in other Romance languages (such as future and subjunctive perfect future). It also presents the unique feature among Romance languages of the personification or inflexion of the infinitive. Other characteristics are the addition of a simple past perfect (amara means yo te amaba as well as yo te había amado) and two genders (male and female). Portuguese has a complex phonetic system that covers 11 different vocalic sounds (for example, vowels a, e and o are pronounced differently if they are closed or open, and the five basic vowels and the diphthongs are nasalized with an accent or with the letters m or n behind). Consonants own similar values to other Romance languages, with a few differences in specific consonants. (from http://www.orbislingua.com/eag.htm.)

Portuguese is closely related to Spanish, and it is very easy for Spanish speakers to learn Portuguese. Portuguese speakers generally can understand people speaking Spanish, and sometimes Spanish speakers understand Portuguese speakers.

TTU OFFERS four-skills instruction in the Portuguese language, Portuguese literature courses, and undergraduate and graduate minors in Portuguese.

The undergraduate minor in Portuguese consists of a minimum of 18 hours, of which at least nine must be at the 3000 level including at least three hours at the 4000 level. PORT 1301, PORT 1302, PORT 2301, and PORT 2302 may be counted towards the minor.

The graduate MA minor in Portuguese consists of 6-9 hours of graduate coursework approved by one's Graduate Advisor.

The graduate Ph.D. minor consists of 15 hours of graduate course work approved by one's Graduate Advisor. For the Spanish doctorate the coursework must be in the Portuguese language.

In Summer 2003 a study-abroad program in Portugal was started.

• Portuguese Language Courses can be used to satisfy TTU Foreign Language Requirements.
• These courses also can prepare you for exotic and exciting study-abroad opportunities.
     (see http://www.iaff.ttu.edu/Home/OIA/StudyAbroad/BBSABPrograms.asp)

INSTRUCTORS:

Dr. Antonio Ladeira, Assistant Professor of Portuguese and Coordinator of Portuguese, 258 Foreign Languages Building, 806-742-1550, Antonio.ladeira@ttu.edu

Dr. Laura Beard, Associate Professor of Spanish, 249 Foreign languages Building, 806-742-0563, laura.beard@ttu.edu

Ms. Yadeira O. Pendergrass, 04 Foreign Languages Building, 806-742-2758

Ms. Mara Vaughn, 002 Foreign Languages Building, 806-742-2758

COURSES:

ENROLLMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR NONDEGREE STUDENTS AND MEMBERS OF THE LUBBOCK COMMUNITY: Persons possessing a bachelors degree or higher may take undergraduate language courses as a Nondegree Student. Admission is simple: Obtain an application at www.ttu.edu/gradschool, apply for admission as a Post Graduate (PRGD) Nondegree Student, pay the $50 application fee, and submit transcripts of all previous college level study. When admitted enroll in the appropriate language course. Once admitted you may register indefinitely in undergraduate TTU courses. For more information contact the CMLL Academic Program Advisor, Liz Hildebrand, liz.hildebrand@ttu.edu, 200 Foreign Languages Building, 806-742-4055.